Marc Murrell: Time right to get equipment ready for bow season

Hunters getting early jump on dear season

Although scenes like this are at least several weeks away, it's never too early to start preparations for upcoming Kansas archery deer seasons. It's a good idea to get out the equipment, shoot a few arrows and be certain your gear is in excellent working order before that nice buck steps into view.

Archery is gaining in popularity and youngsters are often eager to take up the activity. Bows and equipment are being made to grow with kids and it's a great idea to contact a local archery pro shop to get started for instructions on equipment and shooting.

It’s been nearly 100 degrees outside most every day for the past week. While it may seem like cool mornings and fall are far into the future, in reality they’re just around the corner. That’s why some outdoorsmen, particularly bowhunters, are getting a jump on things and busting out their gear and flinging a few arrows to start preparations for the buck or doe of a lifetime.

While many of these practice sessions go well, there are others that don’t. Broken strings, faulty arrows and other problems often rear their ugly head. The good news is problems addressed now can be worked out and fixed well before opening day. That’s exactly the advice that Dennis Brown, owner of B Squared Outdoor Sports, has for new or even veteran bowhunters.

“Better sooner than later,” Brown laughed as to his recommendations on getting started and working out any potential bugs or problems. “It’s going to get real busy.”

Brown opened B Squared Outdoor Sports on south Topeka Boulevard in the summer of 2007. His business provides bait, tackle, knives and a selection of other outdoor products for trapping and other outdoor pursuits. What likely keeps him the busiest now, and for the next couple months, will be his archery sales and service.

“It picks up in July and we’ll be pretty busy until December or so and then things will be less hectic,” he said. “We’ll be really busy for the next month or so as guys start to get their archery gear out and start practicing.”

Brown is an authorized Mathews — considered the Cadillac of bows by many — dealer and also carries the Mathews Mission line as well as other brands of bows and crossbows.

“We’ll work on every make and model, too,” Brown said. “And we fletch a lot of arrows.”

He’s been a bowhunter for three decades or so and worked on bows for about 20 years with the last 12 done as part of a business. He knows his stuff on both fronts and is happy to work with anyone to get them enjoying the sport of archery, which appears to be gaining popularity. One of the most common problems he encounters is the pairing of an archer to his or her equipment.

“One of the biggest keys to getting off on the right foot is to make sure your equipment fits you,” Brown said. “That includes everything from the draw length, draw weight and the type of accessories you choose based on what you plan to do with them.”

A lot of people getting into archery tend to buy a used bow off of a buddy and these are all over the board as far as condition, age and performance.

“There’s a lot of 30-inch draws out there,” Brown laughed. “Sometimes we can get the equipment to work for them and other times it just doesn’t because it’s too old, or just doesn’t fit them but we’ll do what we can to get them set up if we can.”

Over the last few years Brown has seen an increase in one specific type of customer and that’s good news for everyone.

“More and more kids are coming into my shop,” Brown said of a trend. “I think it’s because we now have a lot of archery equipment made specifically for kids.

“It used to be a kid (as he or she grew) had to buy a 30 pound bow, then a 40 pound bow and then a 50 pound bow,” he said. “But now we have bows that can be adjusted from 15 pounds to 70 pounds all within the same bow so they don’t have to keep buying a new bow.”

Another reason Brown suggests as to the younger crowd’s interest is television. There are shows out there that feature kids performing archery and other kids see it and want to try it. They point it out to their parents and as a result of the new technology aimed at younger and smaller archers, the parents can no longer say “You have to wait until you’re older.”

Whether it’s a youngster, a new bowhunter or a veteran of the sport, Brown admits he’s willing to spend as much time as needed to get them on the right track and comfortable with equipment.

There’s an indoor archery range at his shop and the selection of equipment is such that there are several options for most any popular accessory like rests and quivers.

Brown said the selection of some of these items are where a local archery pro shop shines in service.

“A lot of people see something on television that guys are getting paid to promote as the latest and greatest,” Brown said. “And that may not always be the best piece of equipment for what they want to do or how they plan to bowhunt.”

“I’ll get someone in here and ask them questions,” he said. “I won’t recommend anything until I try to figure out what they want and how they plan to hunt and then I’ll lay out several options for them, both equipment-wise and price-wise, and then let them make an informed decision based on good information.”

For all the bows that Brown sells he’ll help the customer get it set up and shooting to their satisfaction. He also provides routine maintenance on any bow he sells for one year from the date of purchase.

“It often works out to longer than that,” he admitted. “Because you take care of the people that take care of you.”

Brown said anyone interested in starting to bowhunt, or for anyone that needs service, arrows, etc., now is the perfect time to get started even though the season is still weeks away. He admits he’ll work seven days a week if he has to in order to get bows and equipment ready to go. But sometimes there’s a rush on the manufacturer’s side with last minute orders that makes it difficult to get products as the season gets closer.

“But I’ll do everything I can to get them going so that they’re ready for the season,” he concluded.